> At a Glance
> – Matt Damon and Ben Affleck shared how a shared childhood obsession with movies forged a 40-year friendship
> – The duo promote new Netflix thriller The Rip, streaming Jan. 16
> – They credit growing up two blocks apart in Cambridge, Mass. for keeping rivalry out of their bond
> – Why it matters: Offers a rare look at how two A-list stars sustained a creative partnership without competition
**Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have opened up about the unusual roots of their lifelong friendship and how it shaped their new film together.
From Cambridge Kids to Oscar Winners
The pair met as youngsters in Cambridge, just outside Boston, bonding over an unlikely shared dream: making movies. “We were both obsessed with [making movies and acting] from an early age which definitely kind of linked us up,” Damon, 55, told Affleck, 53, in a Netflix interview posted Jan. 8.
That fixation felt alien in their hometown. “We came from a city where that wasn’t a thing,” Damon noted. Affleck agreed: “That wasn’t even an option.”
Their early teamwork paid off when they co-wrote and starred in 1997’s Good Will Hunting, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and launching both careers.
No Rivalry, Just Shared Goals
Asked about competition between them, Affleck said they dodged a common Hollywood trap. “I think we’re lucky, actually, to not have a friendship that’s really rooted in rivalry,” he explained, calling one-upmanship “a corrosive thing for your life.”
- Same neighborhood
- Same interests
- Similar personalities
Those commonalities, Affleck said, gave them “solidarity” in an unpredictable industry.
Back Together on Screen
After decades of separate projects, the friends reunited frequently in recent years through:
- The Last Duel
- Air
- Their production company Artists Equity
Their latest collaboration, crime thriller The Rip, lands on Netflix Jan. 16.
Key Takeaways
- Shared childhood passion, not competition, kept Damon & Affleck close for 40+ years
- Good Will Hunting success proved their early movie obsession wasn’t so “weird” after all
- New film The Rip continues a partnership built on mutual support, not rivalry
The interview shows how two “presumptuous and nerdy” kids from Cambridge turned friendship into one of Hollywood’s most enduring creative partnerships.
